Their Beginning
by iluvdimples314
Summary: After a painful break-up, Dr. Cox finds more than just solace in his protégé. Enter Jordan Godzilla Sullivan. Drama ensues. Three-shot. Slash, of course. Angsty hurt/comfort -surprise, surprise- with a dash of romance and a generous amount of saltwater.
1. Chapter 1

**HELLO OUT THERE!!! JD here, finally recovering from my fanfic withdrawl. I know it's been forever and a half since I updated anything, so firstly, I apologize. But I received some wise critique from a fellow author, Smudge the Rat, not long ago, and I've been editing this story. It's going to be a multiple-chapter deal now, and I changed the OOC parts as best I could. So please read and review!**

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Humming a long-forgotten wedding song under his breath, Dr. Cox stumbled into the near-empty bar. Apparently not many people came out at eleven o'clock on a Tuesday night. But that was alright with him. Perry's only concern was avoiding anyone with shoulder-length copper hair. Anyone with a near-emotionless face, distorted by a Botox addiction. Anyone who would remind Perry of the woman who he had just broken up with.

So here he was, at the local bar, sitting on a red leather stool, and drinking scotch like it was apple juice. Five shot glasses were aligned before him on the mahogany counter, four of them empty. Make that five. Perry held up all the fingers on one hand to Henry, the goateed barman who had become a friendly aquaintance over the years, indicating his sad desire for another round.

But Henry was currently preoccupied with another customer.

"One appletini, easy on the 'tini" grumbled JD. He scrambled onto the barstool before him and set his scooter keys down on the counter, running his right hand through his coconut-scented hair.

"Oh, good god. I thought I was done dealing with irritating women for the night."

JD looked over to his left with a look of elation spread across his face. "Dr. Cox? What are you doing here?"

Perry grumbled and pulled his upper lip over his teeth as the barman set five more shot glasses on the counter. "Well, I need eggs, bread, and some cupcake frosting. What's on your shopping list?" He leaned in closer and put his lips to JD's ear. "You might want to pull that magenta gel pen out from behind your ear and scribble down a reminder to buy a new bra, though. Did you get them done? I heard the plastic surgeon over at County is suh-hoo-perb."

Blushing slightly, JD sat up straight and began to twiddle his thumbs, avoiding eye contact with the Irish doctor perched beside him. "My pen is aqua," he mumbled.

Perry chortled and ran a hand through his curls. "God bless 'ya, newbie."

Meanwhile, Henry placed a glass before JD, smiling to himself as the young doctor took a tentative sip of the green liquid.

"Yummy," JD purred, licking his pink lips. He set the glass down and turned back towards his mentor, tilting his head to the left. "So what's up, Perry?"

The older doctor growled at the use of his first name and took a deep breath. Part of him wanted to make another snarky comment and keep his emotions crumpled inside. But the other part was deeply intrigued by the idea of opening up to Dr. John Dorian. The other part had been admiring JD for months, watching him intently as he pushed his bangs out of his eyes or licked off a red plastic coffee stir stick. Another part had stormed out of Jordan's apartment because he knew what he truly desired.

"Jordan and I are done," he stated. His tone of voice was similar to that of a weatherman predicting rain on a Saturday afternoon in August.

JD opened his mouth, and for a moment, no words emerged. He had to concentrate intensely to prevent any hint of glee that might poison his response. He cautiously placed a sympathetic hand on the older doctor's broad shoulder and squeezed gently. "Dr. Cox, I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Perry glanced over at his protegee with half-closed eyes. "Thanks, Newbie." He sighed and stood up, digging through his pockets. "See 'ya," he mumbled, dropping a twenty dollar bill on the counter and pulling his coat closed. Dr. Cox slunk out of the bar.

The young brunette trailed Perry with his eyes until the last patch of brown courderoy dissolved into the darkness. He turned around and stared deep into the lime-green liquid in his glass. JD's fingers twitched and tapped against the mahogany countertop, inching closer to his scooter keys, controlled by an unknown force.

_He doesn't want you_, his brain taunted.

_But he wasn't being completely hostile_, his heart insisted.

_Oh, okay. "Not completely hostile". You win_, his brain retorted.

_But maybe you shouldn't. Jordan just left_, his heart admitted.

_Do you really want him?_ his brain inquired.

JD pondered this for a moment. And jaw clenched, he purposefully grabbed his keys and marched out of the bar.

Or began to march out of the bar. Upset that his dramatic exit was ruined, he stomped back to the counter. "Keep the change," he grumbled at the Henry as he dropped a ten beside his half-empty glass. And then he really did march out of the bar. His eyes, squinted in determination, scanned the parking lot for the Porsche. A scuffling noise sounded to his right, and JD spotted the side of a curly head through a rain-stained window. He took a deep breath and scampered forward, watching Perry's muscles twitch when he rapped on the glass.

Dr. Cox turned the key in the ignition and lowered the window. He plastered on an irritated facade. "Newbie, what are you doing? Don't you want to finish your Cosmo?"

Brushing off Perry's remark, JD bent down to eye-level. "I just... I was just..."

"Yeah, way to go, Captain Courage. Spit it out."

"I was worried about you." JD curled his fingers around the window frame, watching vapor from his breath float into the crisp night air.

Perry sighed. "Move your hand, Mary. Wouldn't want to ruin your manicure." He pushed the door open and stood up. "Nice night." Nudging the door closed, he looked up at the glittering sky, leaning back against his sleek black car.

"Yeah, it's nice." JD shrugged his shoulders and watched the flashing red lights of a helicopter weave through the stars. "But Dr. Cox, I just wanted to make sure... that you're okay."

Avoiding eye contact, Dr. Cox remained silent for a moment. His lips flapped open and closed as his mind scrambled for something to say. "I can take care of myself, Marissa," is what he finally came up with.

_Put your hand on his shoulder!_ JD's heart screamed.

_And what are you going to do when he hits you?_ his brain responded.

_Okay, fine. Tell him... tell him he'll find someone else,_ his heart suggested.

_So what happens if he figures out you want that "someone else" to be YOU?_ his brain inquired.

JD looked over at the older doctor, who was continually buttoning and unbuttoning his cuff. Perry's ivory skin shone in the glow of the streetlight, and his sandy freckles contrasted with his ocean blue eyes perfectly.

_JUST KISS HIM, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!_ JD's heart screeched.

_I'm sorry, did we not go over the inevitable result of physical contact?_ his brain asked.

In the end, JD settled for a sincere goodbye. "If you need anything, you have my pager number," he told Perry, pulling his collar up around his neck.

"Don't worry, Wanda. The conveinience store nearby has a full supply of blush and toe seperators. I'll be fine." Dr. Cox around and yanked the driver's door open.

JD's jaw clenched, blocking out all advice from his internal organs. "Why do you always have to do that?" He gave Perry no opportunity to answer. "Why... do you always have to insult and mock and push people away? I mean, why is it that you never say... what you want to say?"

Dr. Cox turned to face the young brunette, breathing heavily. He examined every inch of JD's face, from his nearly nonexistant chin to his full pink lips to his prominent nose to his bushy eyebrows. But he had to concentrate to skip over JD's eyes. "I just..." For once in his life, he couldn't come up with a snarky response. Perry searched through his mental files for something to say, but JD beat him to the punch.

"Why do you always have to dance around your emotions?" A crisp breeze whistled around them, making JD's ebony hair tingle even though it was coated in thick mousse. He shoved his angular hands into his pockets and glared at Perry, anticipating a sarcastic retort. The glittering stars were reflected in his cerulean eyes.

"Because if I didn't..." Dr. Cox took a deep breath. His liquor really had gotten the best of him. "I'd be afraid I was going to do this." And with that, he grabbed hold of JD's jacket and pulled him in close, planting a vicious kiss on his lips. He felt JD's hand creep up the back of his neck, hooking into his curls. Dr. Cox rested his hands on his companion's hips. He pulled away for a moment, enjoying the sensation of JD's warm breath on his neck.

"You shouldn't be afraid," JD whispered.

"I'm not anymore," Perry responded. And he was about to open the car door and yank the quivering brunette into the backseat when he felt JD slip out of his grasp. He heard a gasp and a maniacal chuckle as JD collapsed to the ground.

A swift sneaker to the back of the knees had proved successful for the giant, hairy, repulsive man standing before Dr. Cox. A double-XL Rangers jersey was draped over his pumpkin-shaped frame, and he grinned a crooked, malevolent smile at JD, who was crumpled at his feet.

JD attempted to stand up, but his attacker was ready. Just as the young doctor had gotten to his feet, the man threw a vicious punch that connected solidly with JD's cheek. He collapsed once again to the pavement, and his attacker stepped over his body.

Dr. Cox stood frozen. Some part of him was desperate to crouch down, take JD into his arms, and run far, far away. But there was no way that a hot-head like Perry was going to walk away with his tail between his legs. "What's your damage, asshole?" he yelled.

The man spread his lips to reveal a yellowing, chipped smile. "What's yours, faggot?" he responded, putrid breath leaking from between his teeth.

Digging his fingernails into his palms, Perry took a deep breath. "Listen up," he growled. "If you don't get your sorry ass out of here right now, I'm gonna knock you into next week." He raised a freckled, muscular fist.

Chuckling softly, the man lumbered closer to Dr. Cox. "I've got some unfinished buisness. You kissed another man, you gay-ass freak. And I'm gonna make 'ya pay." He advanced further, clenching his left hand into a ball. But he never got the chance to use his meaty fist.

JD watched in awe and fear as the heel of Perry's right hand was thrust upward towards the attacker's nose. Blood gushed freely, and the giant fell to the ground with a thud and a bounce.

Mouth hanging open, JD crawled over cautiously and examined the man splayed on the ground. Deep maroon fluid dripped down his face. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady. "He's out," the young doctor reported, slowly standing up to face Dr. Cox. "What should we do?"

Arms crossed, Perry had a response ready. "I say we leave the bastard here," he growled. Even as a doctor, he saw no ethical dilema in leaving this man to drown in his own blood.

"Dr. Cox." JD had some magical way of weaving emotion into the shortest of words.

Perry sighed audibly and uncrossed his arms, walking over to his companion. He tipped JD's face into the light to examine the reddening mark on his cheek. "That hurt?" he inquired, running a finger over the wound.

"I'm okay," JD insisted, but he winced as Dr. Cox's fingertips brushed his skin.

Glancing down at the fleshy lump at his feet, Perry started towards the bar entrance. "I'll go inside, tell someone 'bout Mr. Asshole. You get in the car."

JD gladly obliged, grinning from ear to ear as he eased into the passenger seat. He was just slamming the door shut when the other opened, and Perry's curly head appeared. "That was fast," he commented.

Dr. Cox climbed wordlessly into the Porsche and thrust the key into the ignition.

"Oh, what about Sasha?"

"What about who?" Perry inquired, a look of confusion dancing across his face.

"My scooter."

"Oh, right. I suppose I forgot that men name their vehicles," he taunted.

JD ignored his remark. In one ear and out the other. "Can I put her- I mean, it- in the trunk?"

"Fine." He twisted the key as the young brunette hopped out of the car. The engine revved, but refused to roar into life. "Come on, Joanna."

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Minutes later, JD was perched on an angular, charcoal-gray sofa. The apartment was empty of red wine, three quarters of the former contents of the bathroom, and a certain tow-headed boy named Jack; they had been snatched away to Mrs. Sullivan's house along with Jordan. Perry may have driven over to re-claim his son if it weren't for the restraining order.

Dr. Cox was quickly discovering that no ice-packs were present either. He grumbled to himself as he shoveled ice cubes into a plastic zip bag. Aiming carefully, he tossed the bag to JD. It landed on the carpet with a clunk. "I'm a righty," JD explained, grabbing the bag off the ground and pressing it to his cheek.

Chuckling softly, Perry shut the freezer and walked into the living room. "Whatever you say, Newbie," he assured him, lowering himself onto the couch a foot away from the younger man.

The two men sat in silence for a while until JD decided to break it. "Thank you, Dr. Cox," he whispered, scooching slightly closer.

Perry glanced over at his companion. A small smile twitched on JD's lips. Erasing the space between them, Dr. Cox grabbed JD's wrist and lowered the ice bag. "Don't sweat it." And he surprised the younger doctor with a passionate kiss. JD unfroze after a moment and responded whole-heartedly, digging his fingers into those strawberry-blond curls.

But it was unfortunate that Perry waited seven more minutes before hoisting JD into his arms and scampering off to the bedroom.

It was unfortunate that he had left the flap on the peephole in an upright position after its last use.

And it was unfortunate that Jordan had forgotten her favorite pair of red pumps in a box in the back of the closet.

Because she heard the grunts and moans just before she knocked on the apartment door, and she peered through the tiny cylinder of glass.

It was especially unfortunate that the peephole provided an all-too-perfect view of the living room sofa.

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**So... tell me what you think. Is it worth continuing? Was it worth revising? Hope you enjoyed.**

**Peace, love, and cyberhugs,  
JD**


	2. Chapter 2

**Greetings, people of Earth! I finally cranked out the second chapter. There's only one more to go, because I don't want to drag out this story. So why don't you take five minutes of your life to read and review this chapter? It's an excellent way to kill five minutes, if you ask me. Which you didn't, I suppose. So do whatever you want. **

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Jordan clenched her jaw as hot tears welled in her eyes. Her entire body shook violently as she burst loudly through the unlocked door.

Perry and JD broke apart instantaneously. They threw themselves in opposite directions and stifled their panting, attempting to look as innocent as possible.

JD, of course, was the first to speak. "Hey, Jordan." He had an adolescent tinge to his voice, like a twenty-seven-year-old who had never quite reached the final stages of puberty.

Perry almost smiled, but then Jordan's stormy brown eyes met his own. He could physically feel the guilt pressing down on his chest, could no longer bring sufficient air into his lungs. All he was capable of at that particular moment was blinking, and even that occurred sparingly.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Jordan stood silent. She clenched her jaw and closed her eyes. There weren't many times that this sarcastic, witty woman had been left speechless. But every attempted word stuck firmly in her throat.

With a frightened look glistening in his cerulean eyes, JD got to his feet. He walked cautiously over to Jordan and extended his arms. "Want a hug?" he inquired hopefully.

"Get away from me, Sally," she snapped. A tear dripped off her eyelashes and rolled down her cheek.

JD made his way back to the couch and positioned himself as far away from Perry as humanly possible. The three of them wordlessly remained statue-still for several moments, listening to each other breathe.

Reluctantly, Jordan opened her eyes and cleared her throat. "So this is why you left," she whispered. There was audible pain in her voice, as if someone was severing her vocal cords as she spoke.

Perry held up his hands. "No, Jordan, I swear. I went to the bar, and it just happened. Nothing pre-meditated." He glanced over at JD, who was staring intently at the carpet.

Nodding solemnly, Jordan pursed her lips. She proceeded to the armchair opposite her ex-husband and sat down, clasping her hands firmly together in her lap. "Okay," she whispered.

Jordan had always ignored that nagging voice in the back of her head. The one that nudged her every time Perry pulled a Baby-Gap tee-shirt over his head. The one that whispered in her ear when he avoided her eyes during sex. She had never wanted to acknowledge that voice, but now it was screaming at her. _I told you so!_

JD crossed his legs and sat up. "Look, I've got an idea. We have to get everything out in the open." He looked over at Jordan and cleared his throat. "Tomorrow I've got the day off. I was going to head over to the beach, get my tan on." Glancing briefly down at his pale forearm, JD continued. "It's gonna be a beautiful day. I'm sure Perry can get someone to cover for him. How about we all get away, have a picnic, and talk… about this?"

Dr. Cox sprung spontaneously to his feet. "No, Newbie. I'm not ditching my patients to make sandcastles and eat cucumber sandwiches. No way, no how." He rested his hands on his hips and stretched his upper lip across his teeth.

Meanwhile, Jordan remained quiet for a moment. As much as she wanted to sprint out of this apartment and never look back, Jordan knew that JD was right. They needed to get everything out in the open. She stood up and sighed heavily. "If you can convince Perry, I'm willing," she deadpanned.

JD resisted the urge to grin like an idiot. He scooted closer to Dr. Cox and peered up at him with doe-eyes. "Come on, please? It'll be fun." He paused for a moment, waiting for Perry to respond. "I'll coordinate the whole thing. All you have to do is come and talk." The older doctor remained statue-still. "We can take separate cars..." JD bribed.

Perry hesitated for a moment. It wasn't until JD's lips parted in a smile that Dr. Cox realized that his own head was subtly bobbing up and down in agreement.

JD stood up. "Okay then. Sherman Beach, ten o' clock sharp." He extended a hand.

Dr. Cox gripped his protégé's fingers and pumped slowly up and down. "I can't believe I'm doing this, Newbie."

JD released his hand and stepped toward the open door, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. He looked over at Jordan, then tipped his chin up in Perry's direction. "See you tomorrow."

Eyelids drooping, Dr. Cox watched JD disappear into the hallway. He walked slowly over to his liquor cabinet, flipped one crystal glass over, and filled it halfway with scotch. Perry hesitated for a moment before glancing over his shoulder at Jordan. "Can I, um… get you anything?" he queried in an uncharacteristically polite tone.

Jordan stood up and shook her head. "No, thanks." She smoothed her navy-blue slacks, made her way to the threshold, and gripped the door handle. "See you tomorrow," she mumbled, then pulled the door closed behind her.

Breathing deeply, Dr. Cox set his glass down on the coffee table. He lowered himself onto the couch and pulled his knees to his chest, whispering a goodbye to the empty air.

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**Yes, that's it. But I promise, Chapter 3 is going to be one helluva day at the beach. So stay tuned. Oh, and a nice ten-second trip to ReviewThisStoryLand probably wouldn't hurt, either. **

**~JD**


	3. Chapter 3

**Let's cut to the chase here, people. This is the third and final chapter of _Their Beginning. _A/N complete. **

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At exactly 10:18 the next morning, Dr. Cox lowered himself into the flimsy folding chair and sighed. Until this moment, he had been running on autopilot, watching his sneaker-clad feet move across the sand from a second point of view. But as his tired eyes locked with JD's eager cerulean ones, it all became real. And Perry couldn't have been more uncomfortable if he was being doused in hydrochloric acid.

Repositioning herself on the checkered beach blanket, Jordan glanced over at JD. She couldn't bring herself to formulate coherent speech, so she raised an expectant eyebrow and waited for him to open his mouth. He was the reason they were sitting here, after all, so the least he could do was break the silence.

JD attempted to oblige. "Okay, so…" As much as he wanted to have a meaningful conversation, he had no idea how to start it.

_We were both really drunk _sprang to his mind immediately, but he didn't want to lie just yet.

_I was just trying to comfort him _wasn't a blatant lie, but JD had a feeling that excuses weren't going to satisfy Jordan.

_Did you ever notice that his tongue always goes clockwise? _was neither a lie or an excuse, but JD pushed it to the back of his mind.

In the end, he settled for an apology. "I think that I can speak on my own behalf, as well as Perry's," he began, then nervously cleared his throat. "We're both very, very sorry… that you had to find out that soon, and in that way." He surprised himself with the flat tone of his voice.

Jordan slowly nodded her head and then repositioned the expansive brim of her straw hat. "Trust me, DJ. I'm more sorry than the two of you put together." She stole a glance at her ex-husband, who remained stationary and expressionless.

JD wasn't sure if she was implying regret or self-pity, but the hint of venom in her voice suggested the latter. He gnawed on his bottom lip, leaving the trio in silence for several painful moments. JD had slammed into another roadblock, and there was nothing left to do but to address the elephant sitting beside them in the sand. "So, where do we go from here?"

JD's inquiry elicited a response from Perry. The exasperated doctor got to his feet and rested his hands on the back of his head, stretching his upper lip across his teeth. "You tell me, Newbie," he said, just loud enough to be audible over the roaring waves. And with that, he yanked his Red Wings jersey over his curl-topped head and started towards the ocean.

With an irritated groan, JD stood up and placed his hands on his hips. "Perry, we're going to talk about this, sooner or later, whether you like it or not!" he yelled, trying hard to hold back any pre-pubescent crack. He watched idly as Perry removed his cargo shorts to reveal a pair of royal-blue swim trunks; apparently this storm-off had been pre-meditated.

Jordan nonchalantly readjusted her sunglasses and leaned back in her chair. "Just let him cool off for a while. His angry energy will wear off after an hour or so. And then he'll talk." She swallowed heavily. "I know him."

JD lowered himself back onto the blanket, nodding solemnly. He rested his head in his hands and tried to tear his eyes away from Perry.

The freckled, muscled man strode purposefully into the waves and began to side-stroke. His arms sliced into the water efficiently and pulled him farther and farther out to sea.

As Perry's figure became smaller and less distinguishable, JD began to gnaw on his lower lip. Even to an amateur like himself, it was clear that the tide was coming in with a vengeance. The waves grew exponentially bigger and foamier, but Dr. Cox paddled viciously forward. JD's heartbeat synchronized Perry's frenzied strokes.

"Jordan," he squeaked. "I think that maybe…" JD's voice trailed off in stunned disbelief as his mentor's auburn head disappeared beneath the waves. With an audible gasp, he wordlessly sprinted towards the waves, panic coursing through his veins.

At this point, Jordan awoke from her daze and tried to assess her surroundings. She caught sight of JD speeding towards the water, and stared the clouds of sand that he left in his wake. With a hand clasped to her chest, Jordan got to her feet and ran after him, not giving her straw hat a second thought when it flew off her head.

JD threw himself into the ocean and desperately paddled forward. When he wasn't gasping for air, he was fruitlessly screeching Perry's name.

After several hour-long seconds, JD felt a hand grip weakly at his calf. He pulled in an enormous gulp of oxygen, submerged his entire body, and frantically groped underwater until he had a grip around Perry's waist. With every ounce of energy he could muster, JD propelled himself and his passenger to the surface.

Dr. Cox's head rolled limply on his neck, and JD heard no gurgle or gasp.

A sudden burst of adrenaline engulfed JD's body, and he swam frantically towards the shore with Perry in tow. Tears flowed freely from his eyes and dripped unnoticed into the ocean.

Jordan rushed forwards into the water, grabbing her ex-husband's shoulders when JD reached her. She wrapped her hands around his forearm, JD clutched the other, and they pulled him away from the vicious tongue of the ocean.

As JD dropped to his knees and rolled Perry onto his stomach, his mentor's words pulsed in his ears. For some reason, he had always been able to recall this particular rant word-by-word: "Because even if you went on a cruise to the most remote regions of the ocean and rescued my drowning, salt-soaked body in time to pump the seawater out of my lungs and bring me back from the brink of death, I would _still_ be upset that the first face I saw was yours."

JD pounded and mashed on Perry's back, ignoring the semi-circle of onlookers. He watched mouthful after mouthful of salt water gush from his mentor's lungs and onto the sand, but Perry remained unconscious and unresponsive. The voice in JD's head transformed into his own: "Well you wouldn't see my face because it would be buried in your chest, giving the hug you've been afraid to ask for your whole life." JD let out an anguished cry, and he gave Perry's back one last hearty blow before collapsing into the sand beside him.

Jordan stared helplessly at the scene before her. She wanted desperately to pick up where JD left off, but her body was frozen in terror.

But a sudden gurgle sounded from Dr. Cox's gullet. He began to cough violently, and his muscular frame convulsed painfully.

With a gasp and a sob of relief, JD guided his mentor onto his hands and knees. He rubbed vigorous circles into Perry's back as the older doctor coughed and wheezed, fighting to retain consciousness. After his lungs were blissfully void of seawater, Dr. Cox crumpled to the ground and gulped oxygen.

But then Perry did something completely unexpected. He opened his eyes and extended an arm toward JD.

JD briefly sought Jordan's permission, which was granted with a tearful nod. He dove into his mentor's embrace and pressed his face into the crook of his neck, sobbing openly. Perry stoically pulled his Newbie impossibly close and ran his hand up and down JD's back.

And the two men remained in the sand, clutching desperately to one another, completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

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**So, there it is. _Their Beginning_ has come to an end. I hope ya'll enjoyed.**

**Responses and cyberhugs for any and all reviewers. I think we all need a cyberhug after that chapter, myself included.**

**So thank you, lovely fanfiction friends, for reviewing, alerting, and favoriting. Over and out.**

**~JD**


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